Aÿ Grand Cru
2015
Region
France › Champagne › Champagne AOC › Vallée de la Marne › Aÿ
Type
white · sparkling · extra-brut
Grapes
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Alcohol
12.5%
Volume
750 mL
Sugar
4 g/L
Tasting Notes
Wow! Cheese crisps! That toasted cheesy crust! Berries, lemon, perfume, cream, a bit of pineapple, meringue.
Incredible acidity, texture, depth - it's profoundly vinous, in the best way. It evolves slowly, with a quiet, yet almost monumental presence. A hint of smoke adds even more intrigue.
This is seriously impressive. My favourite of the night.
About
Aÿ Grand Cru 2015 comes from a small parcel in the village of Aÿ - one of the region's most revered Grand Crus, particularly for Pinot Noir. Aÿ is known for producing rich, structured, and deeply aromatic base wines, and Bérêche's take on it is no exception.
The 2015 is a vintage bottling, made entirely from Pinot Noir, fermented and aged in oak barrels, and bottled with 4 g/L dosage. It spent 78 months on the lees before disgorgement, gaining depth and a gentle oxidative shading that amplifies its natural power.
It's also a rare bottling: part of the lieux-dits series that Bérêche produces in tiny quantities (in this case we are talking about 3706 bottles), each from a single named site. And while their blends are already serious, these single-parcel expressions offer a quiet intensity that somehow feels even more personal.
In a word? Monumental. But in that unassuming, Bérêche kind of way.
